2 Caribbean storms pose potential hurricane threat to US

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Tropical Storm Laura has formed in the eastern Caribbean and forecasters say it could pose a hurricane threat to the U.S. Gulf Coast.

A second system also may hit the U.S. as a hurricane or strong tropical storm after running across Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.

The new tropical storm was centered about 210 miles east-southeast of the northern Leeward Islands Friday, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center says it’s likely to skirt or hit Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba en route to a Wednesday collision with the U.S. Gulf Coast as a hurricane, though both the force and track are still uncertain.

Get the latest tropical update here.